Switch device for counting flat articles

ABSTRACT

A switch device for counting articles that includes a shoe member having an elongated portion extending cantilever-fashion over a body thereof to adjacent a head of a plunger. Flat articles such as carton blanks are directed over the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger. An elongated leaf spring attached to the body has a portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the plunger outwardly. A switch element is mounted with a push button thereof engaging the spring. A first jack screw extends between the cantileverextending portion of the shoe member and the body and a second jack screw extends between the base member and the spring member.

United States Patent 1 1 Lloyd SWITCH DEVICE FOR COUNTING FLAT ARTICLES lnventor:

u.s. c1. ..200/46, 198/40, 235/98 Int. Cl ..B65g 43/00 Field of Search ..235/98; 200/46; 198/34, 40,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1962 Howdle et al ..l98/4O X 11/1965 Reist ..198/4O X 1 1 Feb. 6, 1973 Primary Examiner-l-lerman J. Hohauser Attorney-lames W. Pearce et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A switch device for counting articles that includes a shoe member having an elongated portion extending cantilever-fashion over a body thereof to adjacent a head of a plunger. Flat articles such as carton blanks are directed over the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger. An elongated leaf spring attached to the body has a portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the plunger outwardly. A switch element is mounted with a push button thereof engaging the spring. A first jack screw extends between' the cantilever-extending portion of the shoe member and the body and a second jack screw extends between the base member and the spring member.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 61975 3,715,529 SHEET 10F 3 j A? A @r m v .59 .5! j 57 INVENTOR.

PATENTEDFEB 6 ms SHEET 2 BF 3 BY ZN v PATENTEDFEB 6 ms sum 3 or 3 FII-IU J INVENTOR. 141 Zf/V M Aggy SWITCH DEVICE FOR COUNTING FLAT ARTICLES This invention relates to a device for detecting or counting flat articles such as carton blanks or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for electrically recording passage of flat articles.

An object of this invention is to provide a switch device which is actuated by flat articles which pass, shingle fashion, over a switch housing.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device which can be controlled and adjusted so that a proper small movement of a push button thereof is obtained as each article passes over the housing.

Briefly, this invention provides a device for detecting or counting flat articles which includes a switch housing over which the articles can pass and inside which a switch is mounted having a push button which has rela tively short movement. A leaf spring member is mounted inside the housing and overlies the push button. A plunger engages the leaf spring outboard of the push button. The plunger has an outer end which projects outboard of the housing into the path of articles passing over the housing. An upper portion of the housing, over which the articles pass, is adjustable with.

. cludes a switch device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the portion of the machine I shown in FIG. 1, a row of carton blanks being indicated in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 in FIG. 2, the switch device being shown in side elevation; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in section of the switch device and associated elements taken on the same line asFIG.3; i' i FIG. 5 is a plan view of the switch device; v FIG. 6 isa view in section of the switch device taken on the line 6-6 inFlG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 5; 1

FIG. 8-is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 8-8 in FIG. 5; and FIG. 9 is a view in section taken on the line 9-9 in FlG. 7.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1-3 inclusive is shown av carton blank handling machine. 10 in which is mounted a counting switch device 12'which is constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Carton blanks 13. (FIGS. 2 and 4) arranged shingle fashion are delivered to the switch device between upper belts 14 and 414 and a lower belt 16. The lower belt 16 runs on a roll 17 which is supported on a shaft 18 rotatably mounted in bearings 19 and 21 (FIG. 2) mounted on frame plates 22 and 23, respectively. The upper belts 14 and 414 overlie the lower belt 16 on the roll 17 and pass therefrom over rolls 24 and 26 mounted on opposite sides of the switch device 12 and then around rolls 27 and 28, respectively. The rolls 24 and 26 are mounted on a shaft 260 rotatably mounted in bearings 261 and 262 (FIG. 2) mounted on the frame plates 22 and 23, respectively. The carbon blanks 13 pass over the switch device 12, as shown in FIG. 4, with a pressure roll 29 holding the central portion of each carton blank against an upper face 31 of an upper shoe member 32 which forms a part of the switch device 12. As a trailing edge 33 of one of the carton blanks 13A passes a plunger 34 of the switch device 12, the plunger 34 is freed to rise to the position shown in Fig. 4. Then as the following carton blank 13B passes over the plunger 34, the plunger 34 is depressed to be released again when the following blank finishes passing over the plunger 34.

The pressure roll 29 is mounted between swinging frames 36 and 361 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which are rotatably mounted on a cross rod 37 which spans frame plates 22 and 23. The frames 36 and 361 are urged downwardly by a compression spring 41 (FIGS. 1 and 3) mounted on a bolt 42 carried by a block 43 pivotally mounted between the swinging frames 36 and 361. The spring 41 bears on an adjustment nut 44 mounted on the bolt 42 and on a plate 46 carried by a bracket 47 which spans swinging frames 48 and 49. The frames 48 and 49 are also pivotally mounted on the cross rod 37. Bearings 51 and S2 for a shaft 53 which carries the rolls 27 and 28 are mounted on the swinging frames 48 and 49, respectively. Outwardly extending rods 54 and 56 are mounted on the swinging frames 48 and 49, respectively. The rod 56 rests on a swinging frame support bar 57 pivotally mounted on the frame plate 23. A rod 58 mounted on the frame support bar 57 rests on a frame 59 to which the frame plate 23 is attached. Similarly, the rod 54 rests on a swinging frame support bar 61 supported by a rod 62 which rests on a frame 63.

The switch device 12 is supported on upright bars 64 and 66 carried by a switch frame 67. The switch frame 67 is mounted on cross frame rods 68 and 69 (FIG. 3) which span the fame plates 22 and 23.

Details of construction of the switch device 12 are shown in FIGS. 4-9 inclusive. The switch device 12 includes a base portion 71 and a body 72 in addition to the shoe member 32. The base portion 71 is attached to the bars 64 and 66 by screw fasteners 74 and 76 (FIG.

4). A well 77 in the base portion'7l receives a switch unit 78 having a push button 79. The switch element can be of the type in which a column of a non-wetting fluid such as mercury inside a hollow envelope 791 of visco-elastic deformable material is broken when the envelope is deformed by depressing of the push button 79. This type of switch element is described in greater detail in Weiss U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,327. Normally a mercury column connects conductors 80 and 801 inside the envelope 791. .A resilient insulator pad 81 is mounted in the well 77 below the unit 78. A lead 82 (FIG. 9) having an insulating sheath 821 extends through an opening 83 in the base portion 71 and an opening 84 in the insulator pad 81. A contact disc-85 at an upper end of the conductor 82 engages a contact tab 86 on the lower side of the unit 78 to connect the conductor 80 to the lead 82. Similarly, a lead 87 having an insulating sheath 88 extends through an opening 89 in the base portion 71 and an opening 91 in the insulator 87. When the push button 79 is depressed, the mercury column is broken, and when the push button 79 is released, the mercury column is restored to form an electrically conducting link between the conductors 80 and 801. i

The switch unit 78 is held in place in the well 77 by a clamp plate 930 which overlies the well 77 as shown in FIG. 6 and is held in place by screw fasteners 94 (FIG. 7). The push button 79 extends through an opening 95 in the clamp plate 930. The body 72 is attached to the base portion 71 by screw fasteners 96 and 97 (FIGS. 6 and 8). The fastener 96 extends through openings 98 and 99 in spacers 101 and 102 respectively. The fastener 97 similarly extends through openings in the spacers 101 and 102. In addition, fasteners 103 and 104 (FIG. 6), which connect the base portion 71 and the body 72 extend through openings 106 (FIG. 4) in a forward spacer 107. A leaf spring member 108 is mounted between the spacers 101 and 102 and frictionally held therebetween as shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the spring member 108 extends cantilever fashion from the spacers 101 and 102 and overlies the push button 79. An end portion of the spring member 108 underlies the plunger 34. A stop screw 109 threaded in the base portion 71 in alignment with the plunger 34 limits downward movement of the plunger 34 and of the end portion of the spring 108. A jack screw 111, which is threaded in the base portion 71 between the spacers 101 and 102 and the push button 79, bears on the underside of the spring 108 to adjust the throw of the push button 79 as the plunger 34 is moved upwardly and downwardly.

The plunger 34 moves up and down inside a tubular bushing 113 (FIG. 4) which is mounted inside an upright opening 114 in the body 72. A pin 116, which extends through the plunger 34, moves up and down inside a socket 117 in the body 72 which underlies the opening 114. The pin 116 engages the body at the base of the socket 117 to limit upward-movement of the plunger 34. An opening 118 in the body 72 provides access to the head of the screw fastener 76. A slot 119 in the body 72 receives a tongue 121 which is a part of the shoe member 32. Shoulders 122' and 123 (FIG. 8) on the shoe member 32 on opposite sides of the tongue 121 engage an upper face 124 of the body 72. A screw fastener 126 draws the shoulders 122 and 123 into firm engagement with the face 124. A main portion 127 (FIG. 4) of the shoe member 32 extends cantilever fashion from the tongue 121. Bifurcations 129 and 131 (FIG. of the cantilever extending portion 127 extend on opposite sides of the plunger 34. A jack screw 132 threaded in the cantilever extending portion 127 engages the upperface 124 of the body. The material of the shoe member 32 can be resilient metal and can bend spring-fashion as the jack screw 132 is turned so that adjustment of the jack screw 132 adjusts the relationship of the bifurcations 129 and 131 with the upper end of the plunger 34. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper end of the plunger 34 includes a sloping portion 133 up which each carton blank progresses as the plunger is being depressed and a flat portion 134 which engages and toward the roll 17 to guide the carton blanks onto the face 31. An opening 136 in the shoe member 32 is aligned with the opening 118 in the body and with the screw fastener 76 for access to the head of the screw fastener 76. As the carton blanks pass over the switch device, the mercury column of the switch unit 78 is broken as each carton blank passes over the switch device and then is reformed as the trailing edge of a carton blank passes beyond the plunger 34. By adjustment of the jack screws 111 and 132, a fine control of the operation of the unit can be obtained. The conductors 82 and 87 can be connected to a suitable counting mechanism (not shown) which records a count each time the mercury column in the switch unit 78 is broken. In the structure described above, a count is made each time the mercury column is broken, but the counting mechanism can be constructed to register a count each time the mercury column is restored.

The switch unit 78 exhibits virtually no bounce" or resonant action over a wide range of switching speeds, and the same is true of the mechanical elements associated therewith and described above.

The switch device structure illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

l. A switch device which comprises a body, a plunger mounted for movement transversely of the body, a shoe member including a first portion attached to the body and an elongated second portion extending cantileverfashion from the first portion to adjacent a head of the plunger, means for directing flat articles over an outer face of the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger, an elongated leaf spring having a first portion attached to the body and a secorid portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the head of the plunger outwardly of the outer face of the shoe member, the plunger being depressed as each article passes thereover and being released when the trailing edge of each article passes beyond the head of the plunger, a base member underlying the spring member, a switch element having an outwardly extending push button, means for mounting the switch element on the base with the spring engaging the push button, jack screw means extending between the cantilver extending portion of the shoe member and the body for adjusting the position of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member to expose a predetermined portion of the head of the plunger outboard of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member and jack screw means extending between the base member and the spring for controlling the throw of the push button as the plunger moves as articles pass over the head of the plunger.

2. A counting switch device as in claim 1 wherein means is provided for limiting outward movement of the plunger.

3. A counting switch device as in claim 2 wherein the means for limiting outward movement of the plunger is a pin mounted in the plunger and extending transversely of the plunger and engageable with the body.

4. A counting switch device as in claim 1 wherein the head of the plunger includes a sloping portion along which each carton blank passes as the plunger is being depressed and a flat portion which engages each carton blank once the plunger has been depressed.

5. A counting-switch device as in claim 1 wherein the second jack screw means engages the spring between the push button and the first portion of the spring.

6. A switch device as in claim 1 wherein the switch element includes a visco-elastic envelope inside which there is a fluid column normally linking conductors, the column being broken by movement of the push button in response to movement of the leaf spring.

7. A switch device which comprises a body, a plunger mounted for movement transversely of the body, a shoe member including a first portion attached to the body and an elongated second portion extending cantileverfashion from the first portion to adjacent a head of the plunger, means for directing flat articles over an outer face of the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger, an elongated leaf spring having a first portion attached to the body and a second portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the head of the plunger outwardly of the outer face of the shoe member, the plunger being depressed as each article passes thereover and being released when the trailing edge of each article passes beyond the head of the plunger, a base member underlying the spring member, a switch element having an outwardly extending push button, means for mounting the switch element on the base with the spring engaging the push button, and jack screw means extending between the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member and the body for adjusting the position of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member to expose a predetermined portion of the head of the plunger outboard of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member.

8. A switch device as in claim 7 wherein the switch element includes a visco-elastic envelope inside which there is a fluid column normally linking conductors, the column being broken by movement of the push button in response to movement of the leaf spring. 

1. A switch device which comprises a body, a plunger mounted for movement transversely of the body, a shoe member including a first portion attached to the body and an elongated second portion extending cantilever-fashion from the first portion to adjacent a head of the plunger, means for directing flat articles over an outer face of the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger, an elongated leaf spring having a first portion attached to the body and a second portion extending cantileverfashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the head of the plunger outwardly of the outer face of the shoe member, the plunger being depressed as each article passes thereover and being released when the trailing edge of each article passes beyond the head of the plunger, a base member underlying the spring member, a switch element having an outwardly extending push button, means for mounting the switch element on the base with the spring engaging the push button, jack screw means extending between the cantilver extending portion of the shoe member and the body for adjusting the position of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member to expose a predetermined portion of the head of the plunger outboard of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member and jack screw means extending between the base member and the spring for controlling the throw of the push button as the plunger moves as articles pass over the head of the plunger.
 1. A switch device which comprises a body, a plunger mounted for movement transversely of the body, a shoe member including a first portion attached to the body and an elongated second portion extending cantilever-fashion from the first portion to adjacent a head of the plunger, means for directing flat articles over an outer face of the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger, an elongated leaf spring having a first portion attached to the body and a second portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the head of the plunger outwardly of the outer face of the shoe member, the plunger being depressed as each article passes thereover and being released when the trailing edge of each article passes beyond the head of the plunger, a base member underlying the spring member, a switch element having an outwardly extending push button, means for mounting the switch element on the base with the spring engaging the push button, jack screw means extending between the cantilver extending portion of the shoe member and the body for adjusting the position of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member to expose a predetermined portion of the head of the plunger outboard of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member and jack screw means extending between the base member and the spring for controlling the throw of the push button as the plunger moves as articles pass over the head of the plunger.
 2. A counting switch device as in claim 1 wherein means is provided for limiting outward movement of the plunger.
 3. A counting switch device as in claim 2 wherein the means for limiting outward movement of the plunger is a pin mounted in the plunger and extending transversely of the plunger and engageable with the body.
 4. A counting switch device as in claim 1 wherein the head of the plunger includes a sloping portion along which each carton blank passes as the plunger is being depressed and a flat portion which engages each carton blank once the plunger has been depressed.
 5. A counting switch device as in claim 1 wherein the second jack screw means engages the spring between the push button and the first portion of the spring.
 6. A switch device as in claim 1 wherein the switch element includes a visco-elastic envelope inside which there is a fluid column normally linking conductors, the column being broken by movement of the push button in response to movement of the leaf spring.
 7. A switch device which comprises a body, a plunger mounted for movement transversely of the body, a shoe member including a first portion attached to the body and an elongated second portion extending cantilever-fashion from the first portion to adjacent a head of the plunger, means for directing flat articles over an outer face of the shoe member to pass over the head of the plunger, an elongated leaf spring having a first portion attached to the body and a second portion extending cantilever-fashion under a foot of the plunger to urge the head of the plunger outwardly of the outer face of the shoe member, the plunger being depressed as each article passes thereover and being releaSed when the trailing edge of each article passes beyond the head of the plunger, a base member underlying the spring member, a switch element having an outwardly extending push button, means for mounting the switch element on the base with the spring engaging the push button, and jack screw means extending between the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member and the body for adjusting the position of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member to expose a predetermined portion of the head of the plunger outboard of the cantilever extending portion of the shoe member. 